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– NEWS FOR TODAY: From Cairo bombing to Spanish sculptor . . .

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING

February 21, 2010.

Cairo synagogue

Homemade bomb thrown at Cairo synagogue

Trend News Agency in Azerbaijan reports today that: A man threw a homemade bomb at a synagogue in central Cairo on Sunday morning, Egyptian police said. No one was hurt and no property was damaged, dpa reported. Police cordoned off the scene. Witnesses told the German Press Agency dpa they had seen a forensic team studying a black bag surrounded by broken glass. Police told dpa that they were searching for a man who asked to see a room at a hotel opposite the synagogue, threw a bag out the window of the hotel lobby, and fled though an alley next to the hotel. The bag exploded, but no one was injured, police said, adding that initial investigation showed that it contained flammable liquids. The suspect had left items of clothing at the scene, according to investigators. Cairo synagogue

French foreign minister says countries could soon recognise a defacto Palestinian state

Gulf News reports today from Dubai: Israel has reacted bitterly over French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner’s statements over the weekend that foreign countries could soon recognise a defacto Palestinian state ahead of any negotiated agreement. “The issue before us at the moment is the building of a reality: France is training Palestinian police, businesses are being created in the West Bank,” Kouchner told France’s Journal du Dimanche. “It follows that one can envision the proclamation soon of a Palestinian state, and its immediate recognition by the international community, even before negotiating its borders,” he said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was set to visit Paris on Sunday, as Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is pushing towards building infrastructure and institutions to make a de-facto Palestinian state feasible. An Israeli official speaking to the press on condition of anonymity said that Kouchner’s statements, “added fuel to the fire and make Palestinian compromises impossible.” French foreign minister

John Brennan

Hamas-linked group set up meeting with Obama adviser

WorldNetDaily on February 19, stated: A radical Muslim group that was an unindicted co-conspirator in a scheme to raise money for Hamas facilitated the controversial meeting last week between Muslim law students and John Brennan, President Obama’s top adviser on counter-terrorism. The Islamic Society of North America, or ISNA, boasted in its website that it facilitated the meeting at New York University with Brennan. ISNA, whose members asked Brennan scores of questions during the event, stated the meeting was intended to initiate a “dialogue between government officials and Muslim American leaders to explore issues of national security.” The Justice Department named ISNA an unindicted co-conspirator in its case against the Holy Land Foundation in Texas, which was found guilty of raising money for the Hamas terrorist organization. Last year, Holy Land founders were given life sentences for “funneling $12 million to Hamas.” ISNA is known for its enforcement of Saudi-style Islam in mosques through the U.S. Discover the Networks notes ISNA, through its affiliate, the North American Islamic Trust – a Saudi government-backed organization – reportedly holds the mortgages on 50 to 80 percent of all mosques in the U.S. and Canada. Hamas – Obama adviser

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Spain: Israel upset at ‘co-existence sculpture’

From Islam in Europe, February 19: Eugenio Merino says he can’t understand the fuss as he’d already sold the piece to a Belgian Jew. A display by a Spanish artist, including a candelabrum growing out of the barrel of an Uzi sub-machinegun and a sculpture of a haredi figure standing on a priest, who kneels on a prostrate Muslim, (seen here on the left) has drawn fire from the Foreign Ministry. The Israeli Embassy in Madrid issued a statement Wednesday protesting the display at the International Art Fair in the Spanish capital. “Values such as freedom of speech and creative freedom are sometimes used to disguise stereotyping, prejudice and provocation for the sake of provocation,” the statement said. The sculptures are two of five works on display by the well-known artist Eugenio Merino. Merino denied that he had tried to provoke. “The aim was to display the wonder in the co-existence of the three religions, each making a common effort to reach God,” he told reporters. Spain

Dallas Islamic Leader Deported

NBC in Dallas reports: An immigration judge in Dallas on Friday ordered an outspoken Islamic leader deported after the U.S. government alleged he had ties to terrorist groups in the Middle East. Nabil Sadoun, a Dallas resident and former board member of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, was deported to his native Jordan after he failed to appear at his immigration hearing. He entered the U.S. in August 1993. Sadoun’s attorney, Kimberly Kinser, said he was already in Jordan and was unable to return to Texas because the government had taken his permanent resident card, or green card. She denied he was tied to any terrorist groups. In the hearing, Judge Anthony Rogers of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, said Sadoun “made a decision to leave the U.S.” and forfeited his right to fight his deportation. He said the decision was final and could not be appealed. Dallas

Arab League chief warns Israeli war on Lebanon still possible

Lebanon’s Daily Star reports: Arab League chief Amr Moussa isn’t ruling out the possibility of an Israeli war against Lebanon, as he stressed that potential scenarios should be taken into consideration in order to protect the country. “The possibility of Israel launching an offensive against Lebanon stands, as we should take into considerations all potential scenarios in order to protect Lebanon and stand by its side,” Moussa told reporters at a news conference at Rafik Hariri International Airport before his return to Cairo. Moussa said his talks with Lebanese officials were very positive and tackled inter-Arab ties, Israeli threats and the Iranian situation. Asked about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s calls to President Michel Sleiman and Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, urging them to be ready in case of Israeli aggression to wipe out Israel’s existence, Moussa declined to comment, stating that “he was not contacted [by Ahmadinejad] personally.” Moussa also highlighted solidarity among Lebanese Cabinet members, adding that Lebanon is in a much better political situation than three years ago, when political stalemate governed the domestic scene. As a non-permanent UN Security Council member for the next two years, Lebanon is expected to find itself in a controversial position when it comes to voting on sanctions to be imposed on Tehran over its nuclear program. Arab League

Tehran pledges ‘full support’ for Beirut after Israeli threats

Lebanon’s Daily Star on February 19, stated: Iran’s president expressed Iran’s “full support” for Lebanon on Thursday in light of recent Israeli threats. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad discussed the threats during a telephone conversation with President Michel Sleiman. Sleiman stressed to his Iranian counterpart that the threats should be faced through “bolstering national unity, military preparedness, and the integration of national capabilities in order to deter any aggression.” Meanwhile, Ahmadinejad said that if the Israelis launch a new war against Lebanon, Hizbullah should retaliate strong enough to “close their case once and for all.” His comments, in a conversation with Hizbullah’s leader, were the latest in a heated exchange of rhetoric between Israel and Lebanon and Syria this months in which all sides have been warning the other not to start a war. Speaking by phone, Ahmadinejad urged Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to prepare his fighters to be able to retaliate against any Israeli attack. Tehran

Ahmadinejad: “Iran and Belarus on the way to summits of progress”

Chapter 97 in Belarus reported on February 19: The Iranian dictator is going to strengthen bilateral ties with the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. As Radio Svaboda reports, the Iranian media continue to quote Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who said about current relatiosn between Tehran and official Minsk. As official news agency IRNA informs, the Iranian president said at a meeting with Belarusian foreign minister Syarhei Martynau the relations between the countries were “lasting” and “friendly” “Iran and Belarus are expanding relations. The two countries are at the beginning of a long way to the summits of progress, and there are no obstacles for strengthening the bilateral ties,” Ahmadinejad stated. Ambassador of Iran to Belarus Seyyed Abdollah Hosseini said earlier Alyaksandr Lukashenka planned to pay a visit to Iran this year. Officially, his visit will be timed to start of oil production in Jofeir oil field, the joint Iranian-Belarusian project. On February 11, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad proclaimed Iran to be a nuclear state. The United State imposed new sanctions on Iran on the same day. Belarus